Far Cry Primal Reviews
Taming bears is a blast, but sometimes playing beast master is still a day job.
Far Cry Primal really wants you to know that there are tons of things you can do in its prehistoric, open world. Unfortunately, you may not want to do any of them.
I suspect the next major Far Cry instalment will return to the modern day, but I'd love to see Ubisoft continue experimenting with the franchise from time to time. Primal doesn't quite discover the secret to fire, but it's an entertaining blast to the very distant past.
Far Cry Primal takes the franchise back thousands of years to the Stone Age and a tale of a tribe decimated by their enemies. While this tale had promise, the lack of a central villain means that the story also lacks focus and is relegated to the sidelines while the side missions take pride of place. Away from the story, Primal offers hours of other activities that usually involve the game's satisfying melee combat and a beast from the game's rather fun taming mechanic. Players are never left with nothing to do, but it's for how long players will persist before the game starts to feel a bit too repetitive. This doesn't mean that it is a bad game by any means, especially when offering 40-50 hours of gameplay before reaching 100% completion. It just means that Far Cry veterans will have seen this all before but under a different skin.
Despite some new additions – and a brand new setting in a largely untapped historical era – if you dig under the surface of Far Cry Primal, you'll find a remarkably well preserved edition of Far Cry 4 entombed within. As a result, if you were hoping for more of a revolution to the formula, or didn't particularly enjoy the hunting mechanics in past games, then you're best off steering clear of this title. Of course, if you're merely looking to jump back into the familiar Far Cry gameplay loop in a captivating open world, then there's still plenty of fun to be had. And at the end of the day, who on Earth doesn't want to ride around on a bear?
Far Cry Primal is a great spin-off for the Far Cry franchise, but it doesn't do anything drastically new.
Branding Far Cry Primal as a cheap reskin would be harsh. Although largely formulaic, there's enough here for both fans and newcomers to sink their teeth into, not to mention a wonderfully realised depiction of the stone age. However, beneath this wildly altered aesthetic, for better or for worse, Ubisoft is still playing it safe. Personally, I found Primal to be far more entertaining than Far Cry 4, but even then it's hard to overlook the series' systematic regurgitation of ideas and concepts.
While Far Cry Primal is a well-made experience, one I enjoyed a great deal, it oftentimes had me thinking about the routine the series has settled into, and envisioning a future where the Far Cry formula may not be as compelling as it once was, no matter how extraordinary the setting.
The prehistoric setting adds little to the Far Cry formula, while taking away several key features – even if the overall experience is still enjoyable.
Far Cry Primal shows us that gaming still has plenty of interesting worlds to take us to. Its Stone Age setting really is its best quality. Sadly, the series' formula is beginning to feel familiar and, frankly, a little dull. The first-person combat is tedious, and I think I've cleared out enough enemy camps for one lifetime.
Ubisoft promised a new feeling with Far Cry Primal, and in some sense they weren't completely wrong. Some mechanics of the game do feel slightly "copy and paste" from its earlier games – Far Cry 3 and Far Cry 4, but it does bring its own taste and twists that puts this game in its own category.
Far Cry Primal is still a good game like its predecessors, but regrettably, Ubisoft is treading the same old waters. However, if you want "just" another Far Cry, you're at the right spot. So far, this recipe is still working, but the next entry of the franchise deservers more innovations.
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Ubisoft most definitely rolled the dice when it came to Far Cry Primal. Stripping down the series to its raw base risked alienating their entire audience. Fortunately for them, the shift seems to have gone off without a hitch. However, the lack of mission variety and combat tools hold the game back from being something truly groundbreaking. Hopefully they intend to continue to transplant the franchise into other settings, because if Primal is any indication, they are at least on the right track.
All in all, if you're even remotely interested in the Far Cry games then you'll be right at home with Far Cry Primal, but if you're looking for a completely fresh experience you're going to be sorely disappointed. Graphically the game could be a lot better when compared against other titles such as The Witcher 3 or Rise of the Tomb Raider but the prehistoric setting remains a fresh and exciting addition that I find myself excited to explore further. On the current basis I'd have to give it 7/10.
Chris Capel gets all 10,000 BC on yo' ass
In terms of gameplay though? Far Cry Primal is a shining example of how a game series should advance, with meaningful and broad changes to the status quo while retaining the characteristics of the core game. A better backstory for Takkar, the Wenja, or even a stronger interwoven narrative may have helped, but it's still a lot of fun to ride a saber tooth tiger and launch spears at cannibalistic primitives for no other reason than we can.
While playing leaves players at the mercy of its time period due to the lack of firearms and weapons we've come to know in recent installments, instead players are treated to a leaner, and thrilling take on the series that works perfectly in its Stone Age setting. In any case, Far Cry Primal proves that looking back to the past can reveal an experience that's crazy and brutally fun.
Ubisoft has taken us back in Far Cry: Primal to a time period that is new and fresh to the FPS genre. Sadly, it has a story that is forgettable and uses the same formula we have come to expect from every Far Cry game. However, some fans will enjoy some of the changes to the fun gameplay we know and love.
Far Cry Primal does little to reinvent the series established formula, sometimes taking it backwards more than its new time period may suggest. It's filled to the brim with the familiar and fun Far Cry trappings, if that's what you want out a game. It's an enjoyable, gratuitously violent romp in the past. If you're looking for some sort of narrative impetus tying it together though, you're bound to be a little disappointed.
Far Cry Primal, however, falls flat in some aspects. The story is remarkably simple and the characters aren't that engaging. Though credit to the makers in developing a unique culture and language for your protagonist. The game's lacking variety means there isn't much of a learning curve after the initial few hours your style may become set and this sets you up for the entire game. And there isn't ever much of a need to change your style afterwards.